Family Connections
The Family Connections Program
The Family Connections Program at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center provides supportive resources to our patients who are parents diagnosed with cancer and their children. Cancer touches many lives in a family, and these resources are available for other family members, grandparents, guardians, and other adults who care about children affected by the impact of cancer. Children have many thoughts and feelings in response to their parents' (or other adults') cancer diagnosis and other cancer-related issues, and this program offers specialized resources for them as well.
The Program's mission is to identify and respond to the needs of parents and children through supporting, supplementing, and empowering parent and child coping as a family. Resources and relevant information offer guidance to help families manage the impact of cancer on their lives.
Included in the program are:
The Kidpack Program
The program provides packs of resources for children who have a parent with cancer. The backpacks are tailored to specific age groups: preschool, school age, and teens. Each pack contains age-appropriate materials that are educational, encourage expression and creativity, as well as provide comfort and stress reduction.
BackPacks
- Special packs are created for preschool children under 4 years old.
- School-age packs for children ages 4-7, include (among other materials):
- Workbook and storybook for children whose lives are affected by cancer
- Small stuffed animal
- School-age packs for children ages 8-12 include (among other materials):
- Small stuffed animal
- Creative art materials
- Recommended booklist
Teen Packs
- Teenage packs for those ages 13 and older, packs lnclude (among other materials):
- Age-appropriate information on their own reactions, questions, and needs when a parent has cancer
- A mood magnet set
- A journal designed for both sketching and writing
Parent Information Binders
- Information specific to talking with children about cancer in the family, coping as a parent with cancer and adjusting as a family
- Suggestions for activities
- Cancer center, community and other resources
- A booklist, with brief descriptions, that also includes videos and Web sites
How can I find these resources?
Backpacks, Teen Packs and Binders are available through an oncology social worker from the Department of Care Coordination (see contact information below), or through the Eleanor and Maxwell Blum Patient and Family Resource Center (Dana-Farber building, lobby).
Family Connections Events
Outward Bound trip for teenage children of adult cancer patients
This free, all-day event includes challenging, fun and safe outdoor experiences like ropes courses, wall climbing and group activities. It is open to teens age 13-19 whose parent/grandparent/primary caregiver is an oncology patient.
For more information:
Contact: Jessiaha Adamopoulos
Phone: (617) 632-4020
When there is a loss in the family: Bereavement Support
A bereavement packet of supportive information and resources is available for surviving parents/partners/caregivers, with a focus on the special challenges of parenting and children.
These packets are available through an oncology social worker from the Department of Care Coordination or by request in the Eleanor and Maxwell Blum Patient and Family Resource Center.
Contact Information
For more information about the Family Connections Program at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, please contact:
- Jessiaha Adamopoulos, Program Coordinator, (617) 632-4020
- The Department of Care Coordination, (617) 632-3301
- The Eleanor and Maxwell Blum Patient and Family Resource Center, (617) 632-5570
